Thursday, March 12, 2009

Caps Win Fifth Straight Road Game

Bruce Boudreau told reporters a week ago that it takes two victories to get out of a slump. What makes the last two wins more impressive other than just breaking a four game slide would be the Capitals getting those wins on the road against two very tough teams. The Caps keep to their tough defensive stand and get the same result as the game before. They ground the Flyers in their barn 2-1.

Alex Ovechkin got the game winner in the second period when the Flyers just coughed up the puck to Alex Semin who found Ovi wide open in front of the net. Brooks Laich also scored in the first period off a slap pass from Ovechkin on the powerplay. The Caps defense and Jose Theodore take it from there as a slight breakdown led to the Flyers only goal.

The Caps end their season set with the Flyers by playing just about the perfect road game. An early power play goal kept Philadelphia honest. Taking the physical play away from the Flyers played into the hands of the Capitals who were satisfied playing a tight checking game through the neutral zone and keep Philly at bay.

The first two periods was a chess match as both teams were systematically working a way to defeat the other. The third period was nothing like the first two as both teams had goals washed out due to an incidental contact by the Capitals and an interference penalty by the Flyers got the Philadelphia crowd to life and opened the game as both teams shared chance after chance down the stretch.

Both Marty Biron and Theodore exchanged great saves late in the game and the Caps take the one goal lead and the two points back to Washington. The KLF line, Viktor Kozlov, Brooks Laich and Tomas Fleischmann, was a potent line all night getting chance after chance. The trio found some pretty good chemistry and dang near had a couple of goals late in the game.

Micheal Nylander came into the lineup to replace an injured Donald Brashear, although he didn't fill in the enforcer role. He played well enough, but found himself on the bench late in the game as the Caps shortened their bench. Sergei Fedorov was a last minute scratch as he was feeling ill. The Capitals recalled Alexandre Giroux for that very reason although the Caps didn't say who was ill until minutes before the game.

Puckhead player of the game goes to Jose Theodore whose 35 saves helped keep the Caps in the game and could have taken home a shut out. He made some great acrobatic saves as well as a few just solid routine saves that killed offensive momentum of the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Caps have one more home game Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes before a long road trip due to the Frozen Four in house at the phone booth. They will be in and out of hotel rooms for the next five games before coming back home to face the Lightning on March 27. The Capitals would like to keep their good fortunes rolling on the ensuing road trip.

About The Thinker

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